…The man was a monster. Chauvinistic, arrogant, self-absorbed…delicious, Karrie finished in her head. Delicious and dangerous. She squared her shoulders.

"I don't appreciate you mocking me." There. She'd said it, what she'd been longing to say for so long.

"Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"You know it is."

He was on his feet so fast, she gasped and took a step back, but the second desk behind her blocked her from getting away. She'd known he was a tall man, and an imposing one, but until just now, she hadn't realized how big he was. He loomed over her. Made her feel small, petite…defenseless.

His smooth, liquid voice oozed over her like molasses dripped from a spoon. "I prefer to think of it as challenging you."

He'd loosened his tie, she noticed. And unbuttoned his shirt. She caught a glimpse of his chest. Bare skin, a few curling dark hairs. The scent of him filled her and took her breath away. She looked up and was caught again in his eyes. Mesmerized.

"You are possibly the brightest student I've ever taught," he said. "And certainly one of the most creative. Most of my graduate students would never think of using children's fairy tales as an allegory for women's rights."

"Don't you want to qualify that as one of the brightest female students?" she challenged.